What is Cardiopulmonary Anatomy & Physiology, 7th Edition?
Cardiopulmonary Anatomy & Physiology: Essentials of Respiratory Care, Seventh Edition, is a comprehensive textbook that explains the anatomy and physiology of the cardiopulmonary system and connects foundational science with clinical respiratory care. It is designed primarily for respiratory therapy students, educators, and healthcare professionals seeking a strong understanding of cardiopulmonary function.
Introduction
Understanding cardiopulmonary anatomy and physiology is fundamental for anyone involved in respiratory care. A strong grasp of normal anatomy and physiologic mechanisms enables healthcare professionals to recognize disease processes, interpret diagnostic findings, and make informed clinical decisions.
Cardiopulmonary Anatomy & Physiology: Essentials of Respiratory Care, Seventh Edition by Terry Des Jardins was developed specifically to provide this foundation. Rather than presenting anatomy and physiology as isolated subjects, the book integrates normal structure and function with practical clinical applications relevant to respiratory care education.
According to the author's preface, the text assumes no prior knowledge of respiratory anatomy or physiology and is organized to present the material in a comprehensive, readable, and clinically meaningful manner.
One of the distinguishing characteristics of this edition is its emphasis on helping learners connect classroom knowledge with patient care.
Throughout the text, numerous Clinical Connections illustrate how physiologic concepts relate to real-world respiratory disorders, therapeutic interventions, and clinical decision-making.
The foreword highlights that this approach helps students appreciate why anatomy and physiology are essential for safe and effective respiratory practice.
Whether you are beginning respiratory therapy training, reviewing cardiopulmonary physiology, or teaching future respiratory therapists, this textbook offers an organized framework for mastering the essential concepts required in modern respiratory care.
Book Overview
|
Item |
Details |
|
Full
Title |
Cardiopulmonary Anatomy &
Physiology: Essentials of Respiratory Care |
|
Edition |
Seventh Edition |
|
Author |
Terry Des Jardins, MEd, RRT |
|
Publisher |
Cengage |
|
Publication
Year |
2020 (copyright); printed 2018 |
|
ISBN |
978-1-3377-9490-9 |
|
Medical
Specialty |
Respiratory Care, Cardiopulmonary
Physiology, Respiratory Therapy |
|
Primary
Audience |
Respiratory therapy students,
respiratory therapy educators, and healthcare professionals involved in
cardiopulmonary care |
WHAT THIS BOOK COVERS
Cardiopulmonary Anatomy & Physiology from Basic Principles to Clinical Practice
The seventh edition presents a broad educational journey through the anatomy and physiology of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems before expanding into advanced clinical concepts.
The book is organized into three major sections, each building upon previous knowledge to help readers progress from foundational science to more advanced cardiopulmonary topics.
Section One: The Cardiopulmonary System—The Essentials
The first section introduces the essential anatomy and physiology required for understanding respiratory care. Major subjects include:
- Respiratory anatomy
- Upper and lower airways
- Pulmonary ventilation
- Pulmonary function measurements
- Diffusion of respiratory gases
- Cardiovascular anatomy and physiology
- Oxygen transport
- Carbon dioxide transport
- Acid-base balance
- Ventilation-perfusion relationships
- Neural control of ventilation
- Fetal cardiopulmonary development
- Aging-related cardiopulmonary changes
Each topic gradually builds a complete understanding of normal cardiopulmonary physiology before introducing related clinical concepts.
Section Two: Advanced Cardiopulmonary Concepts
After establishing the fundamentals, the textbook explores several advanced topics frequently encountered in respiratory care practice, including:
- Cardiac electrophysiology
- Standard 12-lead ECG system
- ECG interpretation
- Hemodynamic monitoring
- Renal failure and its cardiopulmonary effects
- Sleep physiology
- Sleep-related breathing disorders
These chapters extend the reader's knowledge beyond basic physiology into areas commonly encountered in critical care and cardiopulmonary monitoring.
Section Three: Environmental Physiology
The final section examines how unusual environmental conditions influence cardiopulmonary function, including:
- Exercise physiology
- Pulmonary rehabilitation
- High-altitude physiology
- Hyperbaric medicine
- High-pressure environments
This section broadens the learner's understanding of physiologic adaptation beyond routine clinical settings.
Key Features
The seventh edition includes numerous educational features intended to improve comprehension and encourage clinical reasoning.
Among its notable strengths are:
- Comprehensive coverage of respiratory anatomy and physiology
- Progressive organization from foundational science to advanced concepts
- Strong emphasis on respiratory care applications
- More than 380 color illustrations throughout the textbook
- 141 Clinical Connections linking physiology with patient care
- Clinical application exercises in multiple chapters
- End-of-chapter review questions
- Case-based learning opportunities
- Extensive tables summarizing physiologic concepts
- Glossary of important terminology
- Practical appendices covering abbreviations, units of measurement, arterial blood gas nomograms, and review question answers
- Updated content throughout the seventh edition
- Additional newly rendered illustrations and Clinical Connections were introduced in this edition
Who Should Read This Book
Although developed primarily for respiratory care education, the scope of the textbook makes it valuable for several groups of healthcare learners.
Respiratory Therapy Students
This is the primary audience identified throughout the preface. The book assumes minimal prior knowledge and systematically develops the scientific foundation needed before introducing clinical applications.
Respiratory Therapy Educators
The educational organization, Clinical Connections, reviews questions and accompanying instructional resources that support classroom teaching and curriculum development.
Medical Students
Students seeking a stronger understanding of respiratory physiology, gas exchange, ventilation, and cardiovascular physiology may find the textbook useful as a supplementary learning resource, although the book is specifically written for respiratory care education.
Residents
Residents rotating through pulmonary medicine, critical care, anesthesiology, or emergency medicine may benefit from reviewing topics such as:
- Acid-base disorders
- Hemodynamics
- Ventilation-perfusion physiology
- Pulmonary function testing
- Oxygen transport
- ECG fundamentals
These concepts are covered in a clinically oriented manner throughout the text.
Respiratory Therapists
Practicing respiratory therapists may use the textbook as a reference when reviewing physiologic mechanisms underlying mechanical ventilation, pulmonary disease, sleep medicine, neonatal respiratory care, and cardiopulmonary monitoring.
Other Healthcare Professionals
Healthcare professionals working in intensive care, pulmonary rehabilitation, cardiopulmonary diagnostics, or sleep laboratories may also find the physiologic explanations and clinical correlations valuable.
Why This Book Is Useful
One of the greatest educational strengths of Cardiopulmonary Anatomy & Physiology: Essentials of Respiratory Care, 7th Edition, is its consistent effort to bridge basic science with patient care.
Rather than teaching anatomy and physiology as isolated academic subjects, the author repeatedly demonstrates how normal cardiopulmonary function explains disease processes, diagnostic findings, and therapeutic interventions.
This educational philosophy is emphasized throughout both the foreword and preface, where the importance of linking classroom concepts with real clinical scenarios is repeatedly highlighted.
Clinical Connections appear throughout the chapters to illustrate how physiologic concepts apply in everyday respiratory practice. According to the author, these features are intended to help students understand why they are learning specific material, how it will be encountered clinically, and how it contributes to patient care.
The inclusion of review questions, clinical application exercises, colorful illustrations, detailed tables, and structured chapter progression further supports efficient learning and long-term retention.
For students preparing for respiratory therapy education and future clinical practice, the book provides an extensive foundation upon which more advanced respiratory pathology, pharmacology, mechanical ventilation, and critical care knowledge can be built.
Table of Contents Overview
The author organizes the textbook into three major sections, allowing readers to build knowledge progressively from basic anatomy and physiology to advanced cardiopulmonary concepts and environmental physiology. This logical structure makes the text suitable for sequential learning as well as targeted reference.
Section 1: The Cardiopulmonary System—The Essentials
This section establishes the scientific foundation required for respiratory care practice and includes:
- The Anatomy and Physiology of the Respiratory System
- Ventilation
- Pulmonary Function Measurements
- The Diffusion of Pulmonary Gases
- The Anatomy and Physiology of the Circulatory System
- Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide Transport
- Acid–Base Balance and Regulation
- Ventilation–Perfusion Relationships
- Control of Ventilation
- Fetal Development and the Cardiopulmonary System
- Aging and the Cardiopulmonary System
Section 2: Advanced Cardiopulmonary Concepts and Related Areas
After mastering the fundamentals, readers move into advanced topics that support clinical respiratory care, including:
- Cardiac electrophysiology
- Standard 12-lead electrocardiography
- ECG interpretation and cardiac dysrhythmias
- Hemodynamic measurements and interpretation
- Renal system structure and cardiopulmonary interactions
- Sleep physiology and sleep-related respiratory disorders
Section 3: The Cardiopulmonary System During Unusual Environmental Conditions
The final section explores physiologic adaptation under specialized conditions, including:
- Exercise physiology
- High-altitude physiology
- Hyperbaric medicine and high-pressure environments
Throughout the textbook, each chapter concludes with review questions. Selected chapters also include clinical application exercises that encourage learners to apply physiologic principles to realistic patient scenarios and develop clinical reasoning skills.
Strengths of the Book
Several characteristics distinguish this textbook as a valuable educational resource for respiratory care.
Comprehensive Coverage
The book provides an extensive review of cardiopulmonary anatomy and physiology while maintaining a clear progression from foundational concepts to more advanced clinical material. The organization helps readers develop a coherent understanding rather than isolated facts.
Strong Clinical Integration
One of the most notable strengths is the inclusion of 141 Clinical Connections, which relate physiologic principles to patient care, respiratory disorders, and everyday clinical practice. These features reinforce the practical importance of the scientific concepts presented.
Excellent Visual Learning Resources
The seventh edition contains more than 380 color illustrations, including numerous newly added or updated figures that enhance understanding of complex anatomy and physiology. Visual learners will likely benefit from the extensive use of diagrams and illustrations throughout the text.
Educational Design
The author emphasizes gradual learning by introducing anatomy before physiology and repeatedly reinforcing concepts through:
- Clinical scenarios
- Review questions
- Clinical application exercises
- Tables
- Graphs
- Nomograms
- Glossary
- Practical appendices
These instructional features support both classroom learning and independent study.
Respiratory Care Focus
Unlike general anatomy and physiology textbooks, this work is specifically written for respiratory care education. The preface explains that many general A&P texts are too introductory for respiratory therapy students, and this book was developed to address that educational need.
Limitations
- The textbook is primarily written for respiratory therapy education, so healthcare professionals seeking detailed pulmonary pathology or respiratory pharmacology may require additional specialized references.
- The primary emphasis is on normal anatomy and physiology with clinical applications rather than comprehensive disease management.
- The source reviewed does not indicate that the book functions as a complete reference for pulmonary medicine, critical care, or mechanical ventilation, although these topics are referenced through Clinical Connections where appropriate.
Comparison With Similar Books
Within respiratory care education, Cardiopulmonary Anatomy & Physiology: Essentials of Respiratory Care occupies a distinct role.
Compared with general human anatomy and physiology textbooks, it places considerably greater emphasis on respiratory physiology, gas exchange, cardiopulmonary interactions, and clinical respiratory care.
According to the author, the textbook was specifically developed because many college-level anatomy and physiology texts provide only introductory coverage of the cardiopulmonary system for future respiratory therapists.
Rather than attempting to replace comprehensive pulmonary medicine or intensive care references, this book serves as a dedicated foundation in cardiopulmonary anatomy and physiology for respiratory care education.
Cardiopulmonary Anatomy & Physiology, 7th Edition
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FAQs
The textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to the anatomy and physiology of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems while emphasizing their application to respiratory care practice.
According to the preface, the book is designed primarily for students of cardiopulmonary anatomy and physiology and respiratory care, assuming no previous knowledge of respiratory anatomy or physiology.
Major topics include respiratory anatomy, ventilation, pulmonary function testing, gas exchange, circulatory physiology, oxygen and carbon dioxide transport, acid–base balance, ventilation–perfusion relationships, fetal physiology, aging, ECG interpretation, hemodynamics, renal physiology, sleep physiology, exercise physiology, altitude physiology, and hyperbaric medicine.
Yes. The textbook includes more than 140 Clinical Connections, clinical application exercises, and end-of-chapter review questions designed to relate classroom knowledge to clinical respiratory care.
The uploaded source notes revised and updated chapter content, approximately 150 new or re-rendered color figures (for a total of more than 380 illustrations), and 13 additional Clinical Connections, bringing the total to 141.
Yes. The textbook contains review questions, clinical scenarios, glossaries, appendices, tables, illustrations, and supplementary educational resources intended to reinforce learning.
Conclusion
Cardiopulmonary Anatomy & Physiology: Essentials of Respiratory Care, Seventh Edition provides a structured and clinically oriented introduction to the anatomy and physiology of the cardiopulmonary system. Developed specifically for respiratory care education, it combines foundational scientific principles with practical clinical applications that help bridge classroom learning and patient care.
The textbook's progressive organization, extensive illustrations, Clinical Connections, review questions, and application-based learning make it particularly well-suited for respiratory therapy students and educators. Healthcare professionals seeking a stronger understanding of cardiopulmonary physiology may also find it to be a valuable supplementary reference.
Overall, this edition offers a comprehensive educational resource for building a solid understanding of cardiopulmonary anatomy and physiology while emphasizing the clinical relevance of these essential concepts in respiratory care.